More than a place to print your LES

Military libraries and their role in professional discourse

Military libraries have always played an integral part in the evolution of professional discourse. They provide service members with a safe place to relax and read a good book, hold a special community event, or have meaningful discussions about events and lessons learned from our vast military history. In this new age, libraries are no longer thought of as a place whose sole purpose is to house books on shelves.

In 2004, a study conducted by the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University examined how military libraries support the communities at large. The Study addressed the social and psychological roles of libraries and took into account educational support, deployment support and concerns with the future of libraries. The findings concluded that libraries were seen as non-threatening, neutral places where service members can do research and where families can gather. The result concluded that Military libraries have a more far-reaching impact on military communities and increasing that support for programs, resources, staff, is necessary to keep them relevant (Welch et al., 2006).

Investing in new and emerging technologies, software, and systems aimed at providing research support for service members attending courses or participating in other professional development forums from anywhere in the world is paramount. Over the past several decades, directors and staff of academic and special libraries have combed through archival collections of print and media, launching massive digitization projects to make information accessible via links on their web pages. This allows access to information whether in the classroom studying or out in the field training.

About 24 years ago, the Maneuver Center of Excellence’s Donovan Research Library at Fort Moore, GA, began digitizing personal experience monographs and historical documents from the archives. Decades earlier, Major General Edwin Forrest Harding, editor of The Infantry Journal in the 1930s, recognized the value of these papers. He thought the monographs “deserved a fate better than shelving” and believed they should be used for discussions, lessons learned, or for oral presentations by students attending courses at the United Army Infantry School located at Fort Benning, GA (Anders, 1985). The installation was redesignated as Fort Moore, GA, after Lt Gen. Harold “Hal” Moore and Mrs. Julia Moore in May 2023.

One monograph, written by Advanced Class student, CPT Adolph von Shell of the German Army, detailing some personal experiences as a Junior Officer during the First Battle of the Marne and other lessons learned, was published in The Mailing List and later in his book Battle Leadership, which Harding edited (Von Schell, 1933). Additional monographs can be found on Donovan Library’s World War I Student Paper.

Draft of CPT Adolph von Shell’s Battle Leadership, with edits.

Just as digitization of print materials have evolved, the future will see traditional brick and mortar buildings being upgraded and/or designed to be more appealing and versatile to their customer base to hold events, book clubs, and other gatherings that serve as opportunities for professional development, collaboration, and knowledge sharing. Library staffs are conducting open conversations on artificial intelligence (AI) and Risk Management Framework (RMF) and how they could impact library systems and the collecting, creating, processing, accessing and disseminating of information within the Department of Defense (DoD) environment.

Moving Forward

In recent years, military libraries have increased the visibility of their collections, resource, and knowledge sharing with other library professionals through the formation of organizations such as the Army University Library System (AULS), a consortium of 16 U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Academic Libraries to share information and databases amongst several academic fields of study. Another example of this initiative is the General Library Information System (GLIS)/Department of Defense (DoD) Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) consortia which supports military families by providing access to resources and programs that enhance their quality of life.

Military libraries are stepping up the utilization of professional discourse as Chief of Staff of the Army, GEN Randy A. George’s Harding Project initiative entails. Library staffs are performing outreach to their surrounding communities, as their military counterparts are, sharing information and resources. Access to valid, credible information can provide servicemembers and leaders with increased confidence, motivation and productivity within their respective career fields and organizations.

It is extremely important that library professionals stay engaged with leadership, servicemembers, the community, and their patrons with a variety of outreach efforts with the goal of providing the best resources, access to information, research guidance, and customer service that can have a tremendous impact in the military community for years to come.